Flat-top roll-cover desk



R. H. ALLWORK.

FLAT TOF ROLL COVER DESK.'

l APPLICATION FILED OCI. 24, I92I. L421357Q Patented July 4, 1922.,

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

Figi.

R.-H. ALLWORK. im Tol non com DESK. APPLICATION FILED OCT.' 24. 1921.1,421,357 l Patented July 4, 1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

. ROBERT H. ALLWORK, or NEW YORK, N.y Y. v

FLAT-Tor ROLL-COVER DESK.

Specification of letters PatentY Patented Juiyaieza.

Application filed ctober 24,1921. Serial No. 509,944,

New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Flat-TopRoll-Cover Desks, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to desks, and my improvements are directed tomeans in conjunction with flat top desks whereby they may be convertibleinto roll top desks for closure purposes, while possessing the,advantage of having` an unincumbered, )lain top surface, for all usefulpurposes.

The flat top desk has so largely superseded the roll top desk mainlybecause it provides a greater available surface area, besides having nosuperstructure to obstruct the view; but it is deficient in that nomeans have been provided to cover up or .enclose the papers and otherarticles which may be left upon its surface at night or when the user isaway.

Therefore my invention consists in the provision of a disappearing coverfor flat top desks which is of articulate form and may be convenientlyoperated to cover up and enclose the desk top surface, and, when out ofuse, may be completely hidden from view.

My invention further consists in counterbalancing the weight of thedisappearing cover in such manner that it can be drawn from its place ofconcealment within the desk structure, for enclosing purposes, with aminimum of effort, and return with equal facility.

Other features and advantages of my invention will hereinafter appear.

1n the drawing Figure 1 is an end, sectional elevation of a deskprovided with my improved disappearing top closure means.

Fig. 2 is a front sectional elevation of the same,

Fig. 3 isa side elevation of my improved desk, with the roll coverclosed, and

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional detail of the pivotal mount for a gear.

1n said views let 1 indicate the legs of a desk, 2 its flattop, 3 therear panel, 4, 4, the side or end panels,5, 5. lower stringers or framemembers extended between front and rear legs, and 6, 6, upper framemembers.

A shaft 7 extends lengthwise of the desk, beneath top 2, centrallythereof9 and is vcaps being secured to the outer mounted in Voppositeend supports, here` -shown as-bushings or bearings 8 in the respectiveend frame portions 6, 6, of the desk. 1`he shaft ends each have a disk 9secured thereto of larger diameter than the shaft,

to lie against the end of bushing 8 and'vprevent withdrawal of theshaft, and caps 10 are provided to enclose the shaft ends, these surfaceof the desk ends.

y Fast upon the shaft 7, near its respectiv `v ends, are pinions 11, 11,to which are respectively secured, as by bolts 12, the cover endsegments 13, 13, that each lie just inside anvend panel 4, being enteredrespectively within vertical slots 14, 14, in the desk top. The segments13 serve as side walls for a desk cover whose upperportion is inthe formof a flexible apron composed of the slats 15 mounted on canvas 16 whichbridges,A

the segments andis secured tothe edges thereof. Y e

1n Fig.'2 the vsegments 13, 13, are shown in full lines as sunk ordisappeared within the desk, in which position' they present per surfaceof the desk top. It will further bev seen, in Fig. 1, that the HeXibleaproneis secured to the segments 13 only about a 'their straight,flatedges flush with the uplimited rearward extent thereof, as down.,

to the point 17, the slack of the apron hangdesk top when the segmentsare sunk within -the desk, the edge 21ay of portion 21 then lying flushwith the upper surface of the desk top. But when the segments 13 are V21whichV lies within a rear slot 22 in the ,.7

rocked through a half revolution, to bringk them to a position above thedesk, as end closure menfibers` then the apron, including the slackportion, is carried over the desk top, as shown by the dotted lines inFig. 1,

and then the edge 21a of portion 21 closes` against the upper surface ofthe desk top, at its forward portion, thereby constituting asemi-circular cover for the desk top.

In order to counterbalance the weight of the cover and thus facilitatethe operation of :rocking the segments 13 and drawing i gears 23, tomaintain their meshed relation. Thus, the pinions 11 are each shown ashavinga hub 25 in thrust bearing relation `with a bar 24,` and the gearsare held in alignment by the Ifollowing means. A stud 26, which servesas a pivotal axis for a gear 23, has a reduced end portion 27 which is`engaged with a bar 24, the gear` and bar being laterally confined bymeans of a screw 28 entered axially within stud 26,'the head of thescrew being the confining means at one side, and the` head of the studbeing the confining means at the other side.

Intermediate the gear 23 and bar 24 the stud 26 carries an arm 29, whichis secured to the gear 23 as by screws 30. The purpose of the arms` 29is to carry weights 31 which `balancethe `weight of the flexible cover;and

in order that the balancing may be accurate each weight 31 isadjustablev lengthwise of its arm 29, `and provided with a set screw 32for securing itin its adjusted position.

The gear 23 is provided with opposite arcuate slots 23a, in which arerespectively entered headed studs 24a that extend from the bar 24; theslots 23a permitting oscillatory movement of gear 23 over the studs 24a,and the stud heads serving to maintain the gear 23 in meshed alignmentwith pinion 11. i The shaft `'7 may be adjustable vas to its length, foruse with desks of different sizes, and is here shown as composedV of twosections, with a connecting sleeve 33. Near `each end, the shaft 7 isprovided with a collar 34, with securing means, enabling the collar tobe adjustedto form a thrust bearingcoacting with a shaft-end disk 9, tolocalize the `pinion 11, with segment 13, and bar 24, in their operativepositions. The weights 31 are elevated when the apron is sunk within thedesk structure, and are `adapted to balance its weight. In the exampleillustrated, gears 23 have a two to one Variations within the spirit`and scope of my invention are equally comprehendedby the foregoingdisclosure.

I claim:V 1

1. The combination, with a flat top desk, whose top is provided withslots near each side edge and a rear slot, of a shaft journalled belowthe desk top, segmental walls respectively operable through the sideslots and carried by the shaft, the segments each exceeding a halfcircle, and a flexible apron secured at one end to the segmental walls,the apron adapted to be drawn through the rear slot and over thesegmental walls in their rotation, to cover the desk top.

2. The combination, with a flat top desk whose top is provided withslotsnear each side edge and a rear slot, of a shaft journalled below `thedesk top, segmental walls, each exceeding a half circle, respectivelyoperable through the side slots and carried by the shaft, and a.flexible apron fastened at one end to the segmental walls and at itsother end to the desk structure, the apron adapted to be drawn over thesegmental walls in their rotation, to cover the desk top.

3. The combination, with Aa flat top desk whose top is provided withslots near each side edge and a rear slot, of a shaft journalled belowthe desk top, segmental walls, cach exceeding'a half circle,respectively operable through the side slots and carried by the shaft, aflexible apronsecured at one end to the segmental wallsand adapted to bcdrawn through the rear slot and over the segmental walls, and means forcounterbalancing the weight of the walls and cover, to facilitate theiroperation.

4. The combination, with ay fiat top desk, of a disappearing roll covertherefor having segmental side walls, a shaft engaging the sidewalls,"fixed brackets revolubly support ing the shaft, pinions fastenedto the shaft,

gear wheels of greater diameter than the pinions mounted on the bracketsand meshed with the pinions, arms extended from the gear wheels, andweights carried by the arms to counterbalance the cover.

5. The combination, with a flat top desk whose topiis provided withslots. near each side edge and a rear slot, of segmental walls, eachexceeding a half circle, pivotally mounted respectively near the desksides, below the top, and operable through the side slots, and al'iexible apron secured at one end to the segmental walls, the apronadapted to be drawn through the rear slot and over the segmental wallsin their rotation, to cover the desk top, and the bases of the segmentalwalls, with the forward end of the apron, respectively lying within andfilling the side and rear slots, flush with the desk top, when thelatter is exposed.

Signed at New York, in the county and State of New York, this 20th dayof October, 1921.

ROBERT H; ALLWOR-K. [Ls]

